The present invention relates to a method of cutting beef short ribs and, more particularly, to a method of cutting beef short ribs to create new beef rib products in a manner that simplifies cooking and increases the overall per-pound value of the beef short ribs.
Beef short ribs, particularly plate short ribs, have been sold in substantially the same manner for many years. Typically plate short ribs comprise three or more ribs taken from between the fifth and thirteenth ribs of beef and the surrounding meat. Often such short ribs are sold as a beef brisket. Regardless of the number of ribs involved or the name of the cut, because the short rib portion of the beef is relatively low in fat and high in relatively tough muscle, to make it edible it must be slow cooked, usually at a low temperature for a long period of time, typically eight hours or more, such as by cooking the short ribs in water or some other liquid (braising). Slow cooking in this manner makes the cooked beef tender enough for consumption. The yield or price per pound obtained for beef short ribs is usually relatively low because many consumers simply do not want to take the time required to slow cook the short ribs and such a slow cooked or braised cut of beef is not as appealing to some consumers as some other beef cuts, such as a sirloin steak.
The present invention comprises a new method of cutting beef short ribs by first separating the short ribs into individual rib portions each rib portion having meat surrounding a single rib bone, trimming the rib portions to remove excess fat, silver and the like, Frenching at least one end of each of the rib portions to expose a portion of the rib bone and cutting into the meat on one surface of each rib portion along a series of spaced, generally parallel cut lines extending across the rib bones. The resulting beef rib products may be cooked in a non-slow manner while still providing tender meat. For example, the beef rib products made in accordance with the present invention may be grilled, baked, broiled or the like. Because the resulting beef rib products may be cooked in a much faster manner, they are more acceptable to consumers who do not want to take the time for slow cooking. As a result, the demand for beef rib products made in accordance with the present invention is expected to increase which will be accompanied by an increase in the overall per pound price for beef short ribs.